Funner Runner

FunnerRunner's 5th Blog-iversary.

1/23/2020

I cannot believe that the "birth" of Funner Runner was five years ago already! What a journey it has been! Funner Runner was started simply as a platform for me to document my own personal experiences at races, training, and the occasional random adventures. Well, before I knew it, things were growing much bigger than that and my little corner of the internet became a big part of my life.

Little did I know all the amazing motivation and people that my blog would bring into my life over the years. Thank you to each and every one of you for following my journey the past three years. You and been there through my successes, tough training runs, and of course my many crazy adventures!

I have done a lot over the past year - 53 races, traveled to some pretty fun places, met some awesome people, and made countless memories. To celebrate Funner Runner's fifth anniversary, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of my favorites of the past year.

1. Favorite Local Race (Atlanta)

Hands down Peachtree Road Race on July 4th is my absolute favorite Atlanta race. Period. This race is everything that I love into one - America, running, friends/family, amazing course support, and more! Let's be real, it is more like a 6.2 mile party than a race, but you can certainly run it any way you want to. Remember, Atlanta Track Club members (as of 2/1/20) receive guaranteed entry from March 15-22 (versus the lottery for non-members).

2. Favorite Destination Race

It was so awesome to go back to Pittsburgh in May to run the Pittsburgh 5K and Half Marathon! The entire race weekend was awesome and full of sightseeing, family, and friends. Oh yea, and 16.2 miles of running some of the iconic bridges and parts of Pittsburgh as I take on the Steel Challenge (5K on Saturday and Half Marathon on Sunday)! Sadly, I won't be making it back to Pittsburgh this year because I have some new travels planned for 2020 and I have to spread the travel budget out a bit.

3. Favorite Medal
I admit it, I can be a bit of a medal snob. It isn't always about the size of the medal, if it spins, or even the design. Sometimes it is about the memories from the medal. While every medal has a story, the one that really sticks out for me this year is my second Savage Race medal of 2019. This was my first obstacle course race that I was running solo. Yes, I was trained, but it was time to put everything together. I conquered fears and really proved things to myself that day.

4. Favorite New Race
As I started taking on more 5Ks, I started discovering more "new to me" or new races. While it wasn't a new race exactly, one of my favorite new races in 2019 was the Hotlanta 5K. Yes, you have heard me talk about the Hotlanta Half Marathon a number of times over the past few years, but new for 2019 was the Hotlanta 5K which is the same amazing race day experience, just with 10 less miles involved. While I was sad to not be running the half marathon, I absolutely loved the new 5K option. I was able to run the distance that I was cleared to do, enjoy the post-race events and cheer on the runners coming into the final stretch of the half marathon.

5. Favorite Memory
Due to medical issues earlier in 2019, I had to scale back my mileage for a while. I went from running several half marathons a month to not running a single one for over six months. The day that I got the "all clear" to be able to start adding more mileage was one of my favorite moments for sure. The road back to 13.1 wasn't easy, but I it made crossing the finish line of the 2019 Atlanta Thanksgiving Day 1/2 Marathon THAT much sweeter!

Credit: EnMotive

Thank you again to all of my family, friends, and followers for your support over the past year! It has been a great year for me and I cannot thank you enough for following along in my journey. Cheers to making year five even bigger, better, and of course FUNNER!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

I cannot thank you enough, but to celebrate how about a fun little GIVEAWAY! Head over to my Instagram page for your chance to enter to win a a pair of Goodr sunglasses, $25 RoadID giftcard, and a Momentum Sparklet, Footnote and keyfob.

<3 Much love to each and every one of you all.

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Resolution Run 5K - January 1, 2020

1/22/2020

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A few years ago, I started my New Year's Day tradition of taking part in a Resolution Run. What better way to start the new year than with a run. While the race that I have ran has changed ownership, location, and distances over the past few years, it is always a great time!

For a few years, Atlanta Track Club held their Resolution Run as a 4 Miler in Brookhaven but in 2018 it moved to Piedmont Park and changed back to a 5K. Y'all know that I love Atlanta Track Club events, so of course I would be at the Resolution Run 5K to kick off 2020!

The nice part about the Resolution Run is that Atlanta Track Club has a lovely 10:00am start time for the events (and 10:30 for the 5K). That means even if you stayed up to watch the ball drop or even had a few beverages, you can still get to that first start line of 2020 while still getting some ZZZ's! Atlanta Track Club is absolutely wonderful about promoting an active lifestyle for all members of the family. While the 5K was the most popular event of the morning, there was also a very popular
1-Mile and 50m Dash.

Thank you to the awesome volunteers and Atlanta Track Club staff who got everyone trough packet pickup quickly. There was also a great DJ getting everyone pumped and ready to go along with tons and tons of port-o-potties (always a great sight!).

Resolution Run is a lot like most of Atlanta Track Club events with several self-seeded corrals. I chose my appropriate corral and waited for my wave to start. I waited just a few short minutes in the corral before the gun went off at 10:30.

After running many races at Piedmont Park (or at least part of it) over the years, I have learned the terrain like the back of hand basically. While all the courses have been different, the share a lot of the same portions of the park. This year, Atlanta Track Club threw us a little curve ball though and run the course the OPPOSITE way as in the past two years.

Things started a little congested, but thinned out pretty quickly. There was an uphill portion right towards the start of the course which caused a good amount of runners to slow down a good bit right away, but within about 1/2 mile in things were pretty clear. There are a few decent sized hills along the way with a good amount of rolling hills and "flat" portions the remainder of the way.

One of my favorite parts of the course is running Active Oval which is basically a light dirt and gravel loop in the park. There were even some junior runners out there logging their miles - I hope to see some of them rockin' at other events this year and especially at the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th!

Credit: Atlanta Track Club

After I finished and took a few pictures and waited for mom to finish. While waiting they started announcing some of the 1-Mile award winners...oh my goodness there were some true speedies in full force today! A HUGE congrats to each and every runner out there today for braving the rain and starting the year off strong!

It was an absolutely wonderful morning and a great way to kickoff 2020. After leaving the race we stopped and got some brunch before going on the rest of the day. Thank you to the awesome Atlanta Track Club team and of course all of the wonderful volunteers and emergency personnel for braving the cold and making this morning possible.

Atlanta Track Club hosts some of the absolute best races in the Atlanta area each year. The 2020 Atlanta Track Club Event Calendar has been released and there are already a number of races that I am excited to run in early 2020. Be sure to check out these races and get registered!

February 1 - Hearts & Soles 5K - Decatur (FREE FOR MEMBERS!)
March 1 - Publix Atlanta Marathon & Half Marathon - Atlanta
March 14 - Atlanta Hawks Fast Break 5K - Atlanta

There are so many benefits to being a member of Atlanta Track Club including race discounts, discounted training programs, and more. Perhaps one of the most sought after perks is guaranteed entry to the Peachtree Road Race 10K on July 4th.

Remember, you must me a member as of February 1, 2020 to be eligible for member registration in March. To become a member (or renew your membership), go to the Atlanta Track Club website for more information.

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Rock n Roll Vegas 10K - November 17, 2019

1/21/2020

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Disclosure: As a member of the Team Chocolate Milk team, I was provided with a complimentary entry to the 2019 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas and VIP access. This provides me with entry to the race, however no other compensation was provided and all travel and other expenditures are paid for by me. As always, all thoughts are strictly my own.

To be honest, night races can be a little tricky. What do you do all day? What do you eat/drink? When do you eat/drink? As someone who mainly runs (and runs better) in the morning, I struggle preparing for evening races for sure! Throw in the temptation of all the fun of Las Vegas....whoa!

Despite how much fun there is to have in Las Vegas, I kept focused on my plan to take it easy during the day. However, I didn't want to lay around the hotel all day. I had an early lunch and some football watching which was a lovely way to spend the morning.

After enjoying our lunch and people watching in one of the finest places on earth, we headed back to our hotel to get some rest and get ready to run the Las Vegas Strip!

Long story short, I was registered for the half marathon...my return to half marathons after about six months off due to medical reasons (we will save that story for another time). Part of my agreement with my doctors when I got to start increasing my mileage was listening to my body and knowing when things are "too off." After feeling REALLY off the past few days (and even more on race morning), I had to make the tough but right decision to switch distances and run the 10K.

As I rode the monorail from MGM Grand to Sahara Las Vegas (the 10K start), I could see the crowds starting to form at the marathon and half marathon start village near Planet Hollywood. It was a tough pill to swallow to say the least, but I knew deep down that I it was the right decision.

The start line at the same location of the 5K at Sahara Las Vegas which was very easy to get to via the Monorail or a fairly inexpensive Lyft ride. Momma K and I arrived to Sahara Las Vegas via monorail about an hour before the race started. This gave us plenty of time to get through security, make our way to the restroom and drop our gear check off.

One of the best perks of this venue is the bathroom situation! First, it is indoor restrooms (yay, no porto-potty), but there are seriously BATHROOMS FOR DAYS! Yes, there were so many stalls that waiting to use the restroom was little to no wait this evening! It was quite entertaining to listen to all of the reactions as ladies entered the restrooms.

About fifteen minutes before the start of the 10K, Momma K and I headed over to the start line. While you had a corral indicated on your bib and there were corral signs to help you pace yourself accordingly, the 10K takes off in one wave.

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One of my favorite parts of running The Strip is running past the different hotels along the way. These hotels are such beautiful focal points of The Strip and definitely offer quite a sight while running. This isn't what you see running in Atlanta, that is for sure!

Around mile 1.5 you hit one of my favorite spots on the course - Carl's Jr! When I have ran the half marathon the past few years, this is always a great pit stop for me to use an indoor restroom and pick up a Coke for a little pick-me-up. Since I was running the 10K this year and it was early in the course, I just stopped for a quick photo this year.

Running in Vegas wouldn't be complete without a picture some of the gloriously tacky wedding chapels along Las Vegas Blvd! All the things that make Las Vegas great all rolled up into fantastic venues to wed! Yes, please! We even passed the wedding chapel that Momma K and Papa J renewed their vows at on their 20th wedding anniversary.

Our 6.2 mile Las Vegas tour continued. Have you ever watched the show Pawn Stars? Well, you pass the pawn shop from the show, Gold & Silver Pawn, around mile 2 (mile 8 of the half and full marathon). The store was closed so no going in...whomp whomp. Hey, it is still fun to see.

We then made our way over to the end of Fremont Street before heading back south down Las Vegas Blvd for the last 3 miles towards the finish line.

As we approached mile 4ish (or mile 11 of the half marathon), there was a fuel station. Usually races provide things like fruit or gels for food fuel stations, but we greeted with something a little different. Potatoes. Yes, potatoes. You can do the research, but basically it has been said that potatoes are a great source of race fuel as they are packed full of carbohydrates and other nutrients.

As you pass Treasure Island, you know that you are almost to that sweet finish line! You can feel the energy coming from the finish line as you rock through the final .2 mile or so.

It is always a great feeling to cross a finish line, but Rock n Roll Las Vegas makes you feel like a total rock star when you finish. The lights, the music, the cheers. THIS is your moment!

The finisher chute is quite long at Rock n Roll Las Vegas. Like, half a mile long. You collect your heat sheet (if needed), snacks, drinks, and most importantly CHOCOLATE MILK before heading out of the secure area.

Since I completed the Remix Challenge (5K on Saturday and one of the Sunday distances), I had to go pick up our bonus bling. If you reached a Heavy Medal status of 5+ Rock n Roll half marathons or marathons this calendar year, you collected your Heavy Medal here as well. If you aren't familiar with the Heavy Medal series, you need to check it out!

Thanks to the team at Chocolate Milk, I was able to party like a rock-star after crossing the finish line with VIP access. Post race I was able to attend an after party at Drai's Nightclub which had a catered buffet , hosted bar, massage, and entertainment. It was definitely nice to have a nice indoor facility to enjoy post race amenities and to unwind a bit before heading back to the hotel to change and celebrate some more.

From the Rock 'n' Roll event staff, to the awesome volunteers, to fellow runners, and my friends sending virtual cheers all weekend, it was a memorable weekend to say the least. I am so thankful that we had absolutely beautiful weather this year!

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Rock N Roll Las Vegas 5K - November 16, 2019

1/10/2020

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My 2019 Rock n Roll Las Vegas party started late Wednesday night with a cross-country flight landing just around 8pm PST. After a quick (and super easy) ride from the airport to the hotel, we played in the casino for just a bit before hitting the bed before the start of a fun and busy weekend.

Since the expo did not open until Thursday afternoon, we were able to relax most of the day on Thursday which was definitely nice. The Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas expo was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center which is conveniently located right off of the monorail system. A quick little ride and we were there! Today was day 1 (of 3) of the expo and with an afternoon opening, the crowds weren't that bad surprisingly (usually I am there on Friday morning which is when most of the runners arrive)! Everyone was certainly excited to take on the Las Vegas Strip this weekend! While there was a crowd, it was an organized crowd and everyone waited patiently and politely in line for the expo to open. Even once it opened, people were civil.

As you entered the official expo area, Rock 'n' Roll made sure to remind you that "You're Kind of a Big Deal." Yea, we are. Did you know that the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon & 1/2 Marathon is one of only two times during the year that the Las Vegas Strip gets shut down!?! The other time is on New Year's Eve. So, yea, we are a big deal!

The expo is set up in flow that you go from one section to the next in an organized way - there is no zooming straight to a particular area. This keeps everything so well organized and really helps everyone have a great experience. I think the system also helps a lot of first timers (and seasoned runners alike) that might be overwhelmed by the expo of an event this size.

The first area that you are funneled into is the bib pickup area. The area was very well organized with areas for marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K packet pickup all sorted by bib number (which was in your final instruction email). Rock n Roll runs a paperless system where all you needed was your bib number to get your bib - no printing of waivers. So much paper and time was saved! If you are running multiple events, you needed to remember to get your bib for each event.

After receiving your race bib(s), your next stop was a section to pick up your race shirt. This was also super organized in my opinion and moved pretty quickly. If you needed to exchange your shirt for a different size, there was an area set up for a quick and easy swap there.

While you were able to sign up for runner tracking online before the expo, this is a great opportunity to get your loved ones and cheer squad signed up to track your progress on race day. I had already signed up for runner tracking, so we were able to skip this and move on.

Your next stop was entering into the shopping/vendor portion of the expo. The first part was dedicated to official race merchandise. With Brooks being a sponsor, there was some pretty awesome gear to choose from! Whether you were wanting a tank, short sleeve, long sleeve, jacket, hat, pint glass, they had you covered!  A lot of expos' race merchandise areas end up looking like a bargain basement sale, with stuff just thrown everywhere. The official merchandise area was very spacious and organized (by style, gender, race distance, etc) - I am sure this changed later on in the expo though. From shirts, to jackets, to hats, and even magnets and pint glasses, there was something for everyone running this weekend. There was gear for all of the race distances from 5K to the marathon which is always nice to see.

We made our way around the expo checking out what was all there. Expos are an awesome way to pick up items that you already use at great expo prices, sign up for future races, and even check out new products.  Just remember - no new gear/fuel on race day, so please don't go buy a new pair of shoes and rock them for your 13.1 miles or get some new fuel to try at mile 8 tomorrow.

I felt like this year's expo had less vendors than the past few years, but it was a lot more spacious walking around and browsing which was nice. The blend of vendors was also a good mix and I didn't feel like I was seeing the same product over and over.

It was definitely another successful expo!   There were some cool vendors, checked out some fun products, bought a few things, and even learned some things. It is time to get ready to ROCK the 5K on Saturday and half marathon on Sunday night!

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Rock n Roll Las Vegas 5K

When I registered for the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas 1/2 Marathon, I knew right away that I wanted to add the 5K to my race weekend as well. The 5K is held on Saturday evening while the marathon, half marathon, and 10K are on Sunday evening.

When shorter distances are offered the day before, I always like to run them as a nice shakeout/fun run for the weekend. Oh yea, you also get extra bling for running the 5K in conjunction with any of the races on Sunday (which is called the Remix Challenge).

The 5K took place at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds which was very easy to get to via the Monorail or a fairly inexpensive Lyft ride. Momma K and I arrived to SLS Hotel & Casino via monorail about an hour before the race started. This gave us plenty of time to get through security, make our way to the restroom and head to the #WeRunSocial meetup.

I co-hosted this year's 5K #WeRunSocial meetup with Briana for a third year in a row. We had a great showing at the #WeRunSocial meetup with friends old and new. We all had a blast meeting up with each other again, meeting IRL for the first time after knowing each other via interwebs, and even met some new folks tagged along with their friends. Hey, the more the merrier!

The race started at 6pm, so around 5:45ish, people started to go their separate ways for their pre-race routine. I made a quick stop by the restroom before heading to my corral. One of the best perks of this venue is the bathroom situation!

First, it is indoor restrooms (yay, no porto-potty), but there are seriously BATHROOMS FOR DAYS! Yes, there were so many stalls that waiting to use the restroom was little to no wait this evening! It was quite entertaining to listen to all of the reactions as ladies entered the restrooms.

It was soon time to line up in our corrals. There were 24 corrals for the 5K and about 7,000 runners total. The corrals went off every minute to two minutes to help make sure that things were spaced out nicely.

While there were some folks that were not starting in the correct corral, things were never too congested. I think that the fact that each corral had about 300 people in them really helped out. When you started, you made a left hand turn out onto Sammy Davis Jr Drive and down about a mile and a half until you turned around to head back towards the finish. Note: you do NOT run on the Las Vegas Strip in the 5K. Some runners are under the impression that the 5K are on The Strip as the Sunday races, but it is not. You are on a back road. You can see glimpses of parts of The Strip but that is about it.

As the sun had just gone down just before the race start, it was a little dark on the course. Some parts of the course are darker than others, but street lights and temporary lights helped light the way. I was thankful for the extra lighting because there were some parts of the road that had potholes or unevenness to them.

The entertainment was good along the way with a few bands and DJs playing. I didn't run with music today, so I am glad that the music was plentiful.

The last 1/3 of a mile or so was within the paved section of the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. This section was definitely the most electric part of the course with music, spectators, and great energy.

After crossing the finish line, runners made their way through a runners only secure zone where you received your finisher medal, got your picture taken, and of course received some snacks! Upon exiting the secure zone Momma K hung out for a bit with friends and cheered on others coming in to cross the finish line.

This year's headliner concert was Kesha and she definetly put on quite a show and had the crowd going. We didn't stick around too long as we had dinner plans, but the little bit we did get to hear was great and the crowd was really enjoying the atmosphere.

IIs the Rock n Roll Las Vegas 5K my favorite race? Not really. The course isn't anything special but there is good entertainment along the way. I mainly run the 5K for a tune up run for the half marathon the next day and for the bling. The 5K medal was cute and now I will earn the Remix Challenge medal after crossing the finish line on Sunday for running both day. While you don't run on the Las Vegas Strip during the 5K, there is plenty of other awesomeness that made up for that at the 10K, Half Marathon, or Marathon.

Question of the Day: Have you taken part in a race weekend challenge (such as the Remix Challenge)? What did you think about running a race the day before another race?

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STRIDEBOX - December 2019

1/7/2020

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Disclaimer: A HUGE thanks to the team at StrideBox for allowing me to review their subscription box service. While I did receive a box to review, no other compensation was received. As always, I keep it real and all thoughts are strictly my own.

Fitness and health products can be very tricky at times to find out what works best for you. Rather than going and dropping serious cash on products that you quickly find out that you can't stomach or don't work well for you, StrideBox lets you try various products each month before you decide to purchase large quantity packages of new products.

While every product might not be the best fit for you, you can typically find a friend that might want to try it out instead. The best part about StrideBox is that it is just $19.95/month and you can cancel your subscription any time if you find that you aren't enjoying your box.

Each month when I receive my StrideBox, I am honestly like a kid on Christmas morning. I absolutely cannot wait to rip into my box and see what kind of goodies await me.

One of the cool features of StrideBox is that each box comes with a "Stride Guide" inside. This guide gives you a breakdown of the products as well as information such as when to use the products in your workout/run and the retail price. To be honest, I typically ignore the "Stride Guide" until I am done unloading the box so I don't ruin the surprise.

It is time to dig into this month's StrideBox and check out the goods...

HONEY STINGER - PROTEIN BAR - MINT ALMOND

Between work, running, the gym, and trying to have somewhat of a personal life, I am on the go A LOT. In order to avoid things like vending machines and drive-thru, I try to have healthy snacks with me for when I get a little hangry. I am always looking for new snacks to throw in my purse, gym bag, or desk drawer to keep me fueled and ready to go.

This bar includes mint and almonds surrounded by a dark chocolate coating, and can serve as a meal replacement snack as well as an after-workout recovery bar. It contains gluten free ingredients and zero trans fats, 10g of whey protein, 23 vitamins and minerals, calcium and antioxidants.

HONEY STINGER - ENERGY CHEWS - STRAWBERRY

I LOVE LOVE LOVE gummies. In fact, gummies have been a much loved run fuel choice for me over the years. Any time I get a chance to try out some chew or "gummy fuel" options, I get pretty pumped.

Honey Stinger energy chews give you a boost with natural and sustainable source of energy with multiple carbohydrate sources: glucose, fructose, maltose and sucrose. They are also sweetened with organic honey and tapioca syrup and are USDA Organic and certified gluten free.

ZIPFIZZ - ENERGY DRINK MIX - PEACH MANGO

I frequently seen Zip Fizz at a number of race expos that I have attended over the years and have tried a few samples from time to time. It is definitely a nice, light, and crisp drink and very refreshing. This month I scored a sample of limited edition flavor, peach mango. Summer might be off a good ways, but in the meantime, I will definitely enjoy sipping on my peach mango Zip Fizz and looking forward to summer.

GU - ENERGY GEL - CARAMEL MACCHIATO

Through races and running store adventures, I have seen a countless number of flavors of GU, but here comes a new flavor that I am sure to see popping up everywhere....caramel macchiato!

Unlike a lot of runners, I am not a gel girl by any means plus coffee is not my jam (I know, I know). There is something about the texture that gets me and I just can't do it, so I have to resort to alternative means of fuel on my long runs, so this is a sample that I will be passing along to a friend for them to try out.

DEFUNKIFY - ACTIVE WASH - UNSCENTED

I admit it, I am a heavy sweater so my running gear doesn't exactly smell so fresh after a workout or run. Defunkify is safe on performance fabrics, residue free, removes sweat stains, is environmentally friendly and safe for HE washing machines.

Defunkify detergent goes beyond athletic apparel and is is ready to take on workout gear such as shoes, hydration packs, yoga mats, towels, and more. Running gear isn't cheap so I want to make sure that I take care of my gear and also not stink before I even start my workout.

STRIDEBOX ESSENTIALS - LED HEADLAMP

With the days being shorter and the sun going down before many of us get home in the evening, a lot more runners will be out logging their miles in the dusk/dark hours of the day. Runner safety is something that I am a HUGE advocate for so any time I get my hands on gear that makes my runs safer, I am pumped. This month's StrideBox included a LED headlamp. PLEASE, please make sure you are easily visible on your run no matter what time of the day, but especially on those dark runs.

One final thing included this month's StrideBox was a recipe for dark chocolate espresso brownie from Nathan at www.nathanmaxwell.net and a Predator Running Workout from Kyle at www.kylekranz.com. This was definitely a nice little bonus to check out and I cannot wait to try both of these out soon - that workout looks so fun and will be great to kick off 2020!

As I mentioned earlier, not every sample is going to be something that directly fits your life and likes. However, I really like the concept behind subscription boxes because you can try new things that you might not have known about before. StrideBox does a great job providing various products for pre-run, during, and post-run needs. The products included are definitely geared towards runners and other athletes and are a great fit for you and your fitness goals.

Question of the Day: Have you ever tried a subscription box? What kind of products would you like to see in an upcoming StrideBox?

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Packing Must-Haves For Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

1/4/2020

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I don't know if it is because I am a total pre-planner or the excitement of heading to Walt Disney World (or both), but it is time for me to start packing for Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. I have a few busy few days leading up to leaving for Florida, so I am starting to layout and organize some of my stuff for Disney. I am a list person for sure, especially when packing. In case you are still packing yourself, here is a list of some of my most important things to pack for race-cation.

Expo:
ID
Waiver(s)
Cash/Credit card/Giftcards
Race information (expo times, expo layout, etc)

Race Day:
Shoes (multiple pairs for multiple races)
Shirt
Shorts
Sports bra/undergarments
Socks
Throw away clothes or garbage bag (great for cold/wet weather)
Hair ties
Sparkly Soul Headbands
Handheld bottle/Hydration belt
Bib holder/Race Belt
iPod (and charger)
Garmin/watch (and charger)
RoadID
Pre-race food (banana, power bar, etc)
Fuel - Gu, chews, etc
Vaseline/Body Glide
KT Tape (make sure to precut your strips or have scissors)
Sunglasses
Hat/Visor
Sunscreen
Chapstick
Medication/Inhaler

Post Race:
Park Tickets
Recovery shoes/sandals
Recovery sleeves/socks
Foam Roller/The Stick
Travel first aid kit
Blister Pads
Gallon zip-bags for icepacks
Plastic bag for dirty race clothes (or use gear check bag)
Biofreeze
Tylenol

General Items:
Shirts
Jacket
Shorts
Jeans
Undergarments
Socks
Comfortable shoes
Bathing Suit (if doing pool time)
Pajamas
Cell phone charger
Portable cellphone charger
Medications
Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razor, etc)

Yes, race-cation packing can be stressful. Just make your list and check it twice. Remember that a lot of what you might need can be purchased at your destination in a worst case scenario, but certain things cannot be easily replaced and those are your absolute MUST NOT FORGETS!

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Top 3 Packing Tips for Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

1/3/2020

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As if packing for a vacation isn't stressful enough, packing for a race-cation is even more overwhelming at times. As I start to pack for Walt Disney World Marathon weekend, I wanted to share a few tips that may make your packing a little less stressful.

1. Always, always, always carry your race gear with you on the plane!
DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT put your race clothes, shoes, and other gear in your checked bag. Sure, you may have never had a bag get lost by the airline, but do you really want the first time to have your shoes in it when traveling for a race? I didn't think so. If you are traveling for a longer period of time that will require a checked bag, I recommend checking the stuff that can easily be replaced like clothes for the vacation part of your trip and putting the critical items (shoes, fuel, clothes, gear, etc) in a carry-on bag. Just make sure you put those gels in your 3-1-1 liquids bag!

2. Make sure you have your shoes.
Yes, it sounds silly, but I have had friends go on a run the night before leaving for their trip and left their shoes at home or in a gym locker. My worst nightmare for sure. I was introduced to the Klitch Footwear Clip a few years ago and I love it. The Klitch is is shoe holder that can clip onto the outside of your gym/running bag, suitcase, etc. It is perfect for traveling and I always use mine on racecations.

Need to make sure you Klitch arrives for race weekend? Hop over to Amazon Prime and check out the colors available that can get to you ASAP! This is NOT a affiliate link - I am simply trying to get you things needed as quickly as possible in case you are getting ready to travel.

3. Organize!
If running multiple races, I recommended laying out and packing your race stuff by race. I layout my shirts, shorts, skirts, socks, etc for each race and then use drawstring bags or gallon sized ziptop bags to travel with. This makes hotel life a lot easier as everything I need for each race is already together, so I just grab my bag and I am ready to rock! If you are running multiple races or have multiple people running in your family, this is a LIFESAVER as you know everything is together and ready for race day.

I hope that these packing tips help make for a more magical time for you at the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend. Remember, you have trained hard to get here, enjoy each moment and step of the weekend. Whether you are running the 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon, Marathon or anything combination of races, you have a lot to celebrate!

See you real soon, friends!

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2019 Year In Review

1/1/2020

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Welcome, 2020! It is time for a new year full of more fun times and memories. First, let me take a moment to say goodbye to 2019. What a year 2019 was! 54 races later, the year certainly had so many amazing moments, but also a few downs along the way. It is always a great time going back and reflecting on different memories of the year.

2019 was rough at times, but has been pretty amazing, and I can only hope that 2020 can top it! I hope you all enjoy a look back at my 2019!

January:
What a wild weather month it was in January! The year kicked off with a drizzly but mild temp start when the Resolution Run 5K on New Year's Day (much better than last year). A few days later I raced in my pajamas in sunny and 30s. However the absolute highlight was completing my first Goofy Challenge at Disney that consisted of a half marathon on Saturday and full marathon on Sunday for 39.3 magical miles. To this day I am still grinning about my achievement that weekend!

Resolution Run 5K

Pajama Run 5K

WDW 1/2 Marathon

WDW Marathon

February:
February felt like a whirlwind for sure.I froze some more, tried to dodge rain (sometimes not quite so successful) and did a little traveling. We went from chilly weather at the Fast Break 5K to fairly warm(er) temps the next week at Hot Chocolate 15K (especially compared to last year!). Before I knew it, Princess Half Marathon weekend 2019 was here and I ran 22.4 magical miles over the weekend (5K, 10K, and 1/2 Marathon) which was also my 99th half marathon. What a magical place to make magical memories with friends and family!

Fast Break 5K

Hot Chocolate 15K

Princess 5K

Princess 10K

Princess 1/2 Marathon

March:
March was definitely the most race filled month for me so far. From running a once in a life time event testing the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials course at Road To Gold 8.2 miler to three obstacle course races (Terrain Race, Savage Race, and Savage Blitz) to the Atlanta Half Marathon and a local 5K, there was little time for rest in March.

Road to Gold

Terrain Race

Atlanta 1/2 Marathon

Water Drop Dash 5K

Savage Race

Savage Blitz

April:
April started off with back-to-back women's races. First was the Savannah Women's 1/2 Marathon - I felt like I could possibly PR here but after a strong first 9 miles I hit a major wall due to heat/sun and struggled the final 4 miles and missed my goal. After getting glammed up with my girls for the the first few weeks of April, it was time to get back into the mud! My first Spartan Race of 2019 was ran at Lake Lanier which was an absolutely amazing venue and course! I even shaved over an hour off of my 2019 Spartan Sprint time!

Savannah Women's 5K

Atlanta Women's 5K

Spartan Sprint Lake Lanier

May:
A fun filled weekend in Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh 5K and 1/2 Marathon started off the month. The summer sun and heat came in wicked fast once May hit - time to slow down my pace and miles a bit until fall I guess. Due to summer conditions, a lot of local races in Atlanta are mainly 5K with occasional 10K and half marathons until fall. The Kennesaw Grand Prix Series 2019 kicked off again with the Swift Cantrell Classic 5K which is always a great time. I wrapped up May by running the Beignet Dash at Walt Disney World Port Orleans French Quarter. Oh, this also happened to be the 5 year mark of my runstreak! What better place to celebrate than at Disney?!?! Thank you again to the cast members that made it a memorable day!

Pittsburgh 5K

Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon

Swift Cantrell 5K

Beignet Dash

June:
Then there is June. June was a wonderful month. The month was full of awesome races that we favorites of past years along with some new ones. My favorite race of the month was probably Turtle Trot 5K and the all new Hotlanta 5K. That's right, one of my favorite Atlanta half marathons added a 5K this year which I got to run with Julia by my side. For those wondering, yes, Hotlanta Half Marathon & 5K lived up to its name, but Julia and I still had a blast running it together. I also ran the Summer Steamer 5K for the first time in about 3 years on a new course which was amazing. Finally, I wrapped up June with the Never Run/Walk Alone 5K where I snagged 3rd place in my age group - a pretty sweet way to end the first half the year.

Turtle Trot 5K

Hotlanta 5K

Summer Steamer 5K

Never Run/Walk Alone 5K

July:
Hey there, July! The first half of 2019 really flew by and it was July with the blink of an eye. Thankfully we just had "seasonably hot" weather in Atlanta with not much "extreme heat" this year. First up in July was my annual trip down Peachtree at the 50th running of the Peachtree Road Race 10K. This is always an amazing time and this year was no different! As I geared more towards 5Ks this year, I got to run a number of "new to me" races which included two in July: Bend Your Knees 5K and Hot Fun in the Summer Sun 5K.

Peachtree Road Race

Sports Fanatic 5K

Bend Your Knees 5K

Hot Fun in the Summer Sun 5K

August:
With August being one of the hottest months in Atlanta, you don't find many longer distance races in the area so I just went 5K crazy in August. One of the highlights was my double race day which included the Rugged Maniac 5K and Alien 5K. With twelve hours I had crossed two finish lines and drove all around metro Atlanta. Was it worth? Absolutely! It was a crazy awesome day and I would totally do it again.

Dekalb 4 Miler

Hero Run 5K

Rugged Maniac

Alien 5K

Backpack Buddies 5K

September:
September was full of more "new to me" races including my first cross country race (Wingfoot XC Classic), Dream Mile 10K, and crossing off one of my bucket list races at Mayor's 5K on the 5th Runway! My favorite moment though was participating in my second fundraiser of 2019 for the Alzheimer's Association and raising over $500 in memory of my grandma.

Mayor's 5K on the 5th Runway

Wingfoot Classic XC 5K

Dream Mile 10K

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Iron Horse 5K

October:
Summer weather greeted us for October but quickly changed to more like early winter by the middle of the month. This month was full of obstacle course racing. First, I ran my second Spartan Sprint of the year with two amazing friends (one of which was a Spartan newbie). In the middle of the month I took on Trippadoodle's 5K and the Atlanta 10 Miler. Finally, I completed my second Savage Race and second Savage Blitz of the year and earned my third and fourth Syndicate Medals.

Spartan Sprint Conyers, GA

Trippadoodle's Trot 5K

Atlanta 10 Miler

Savage Race

Savage Blitz

November:
To be honest, I was a little nervous about November. There were a lot of miles and travels ahead of me. I knew it would be worth it though. Last year I ran the inaugural Alpharetta Women's Half Marathon which I enjoyed, but this year I opted for the 5K instead. I then took on the the Run Like MADD 5K and finished on the 50 yard line of Mercedes Benz Stadium and then got muddy at Tough Mudder Atlanta.

Next I headed out to Las Vegas for one of the absolute biggest and best running parties of the year, Rock n Roll Las Vegas! Well, actually it was a triple race weekend which I called #SpartanToStrip. Saturday morning I went to Laughlin, NV to run Spartan Super then I ran the 5K on Saturday night then took the Las Vegas Strip by storm on Sunday for the 10K. While Las Vegas was fun and games, I had quite a job ahead of me a few days after coming home - Spartan Beast. I headed about three hours away to North Carolina for 14.5ish miles of cold rain, mud, and obstacles. It was honestly the most grueling experience I can remember. Just five days post-Spartan Beast, I ran my first half marathon in over six months - Atlanta Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon. My legs were tired but I had a great time running it and enjoying one of my favorite courses.

Alpharetta Women's 5K

Run Like MADD 5K

Tough Mudder

Spartan Super Laughlin, NV

Rock N Roll Las Vegas 5K

Rock N Roll Las Vegas 10K

Spartan Beast Carolina

Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon

December:
After a crazy October and November, I was happy to have a lighter December calendar with just two races on tap. First, I ran in a box at the Jingle Jog 5K and my present costume won the costume contest. I then wrapped up 2019 with the Locomotive 5K which was my first time running the 5K rather than the 1/2 marathon. Having a lighter race schedule in December was definitely nice because it allowed me to spend time with family and friends during the holiday season.

Jingle Jog 5K

Locomotive 5K

I cannot express in words how grateful I am for each and every one of you. Whether it is following my journey on my blog, sending supportive tweets, or liking my Instagram pictures, please know that your support is much appreciated. I look forward to seeing what 2020 (and beyond) has in store for me.

Question of the Day: What were some of your biggest accomplishments of 2019? What are your goals for the upcoming year?

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Merry Christmas!

12/25/2019

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I wanted to take a moment to wish each of you a very merry Christmas! Whether you a spending the day with family, friends, or anything in between, I hope you have a wonderful day! Also, a special holiday greeting and thank you to all of our military, first responders and other personnel who are working today in order to help protect our country and keep everyone healthy and well.

It is just our small, little family here so holidays tend to be a little more on the quiet side unless we travel or have family come into town. Our Christmas mornings are always very low key to say the least. We wake up, turn on A Christmas Story (it is on for 24 hours, so why wouldn't you), open some gifts, eat some breakfast (Momma K actually cooks for us - GASP!), then we go to the park and run. Yep, we go to the park to run on Christmas. You have your family traditions, we have ours.

We started our family trip out to the park to log some miles in on Christmas last year. It was seriously a great time - the family that runs together, stays together. We dress in our best Christmas attire to add some festiveness to the outing which always gets us a few strange looks. I always love seeing the kiddos out there playing and testing out their new bikes.

After heading back home and cleaning up, we will likely spend most of the rest of the day watching movies and such before enjoy Christmas dinner. Yes, our day isn't over the top or formal, but it's what we enjoy and we get to enjoy it together.

Remember, the day isn't about gifts under the tree, it is about family, togetherness, faith, and spreading joy! I hope you each have a wonderful day celebrating with those around you! <3

Question of the Day: What Christmas traditions does your family have?

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StrideBox - November 2019

12/24/2019

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It is time to dig into this month's StrideBox and check out the goods...

NOVO RENEW - RECOVERY SUPPLEMENT

I have been busting my booty at the gym lately working on my running and fitness goals. Recovery between each run and workout is important no doubt. I don't currently use a recovery drink or product, but I am excited to try out Novo Renew Recovery to help my muscles recover after a hard workout. It is hard to tell the benefits after just one use, so I would definitely have try it routinely to see the impact on my muscle recovery.

EAT YOUR COFFEE - SNACK BITE - PUMPKIN SPICE

Eat Your Coffee caffeinated energy bars are organic, vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO snack bars that are caffeinated with cup full of antioxidant-rich coffee. Most of us suffer from mid-day slumps where we can use an extra boost and with caffeine and superfoods included, you get a boost and muscle recovery all in one.

I will probably have coffee mugs thrown at me in rage, but I don't like coffee...at all. I love the smell of coffee grounds, but despise the taste of coffee (or coffee flavored things). Don't worry though, I have plenty of friends that will be happy to take this off my hands.

ATAQ - HYDRATION - STRAWBERRY MINT

ATAQ electrolyte hydration mix assists with restoring the body's fluid balance, transports electrolytes to the muscle cells to reduce weakness and fatigue.

I have my favorite electrolyte replacement hydration, so I am not too inclined to really switch things up. Typically when I find electrolyte mixes in my StrideBox I pass them along to friends who might be interested in the product, but the strawberry mint flavor sounds pretty awesome for spring running (or even that little taste of summer as I run through winter)...

SPLIT NUTRITION - NUT BUTTER AND FRUIT SPREAD

I LOVE LOVE LOVE nut butters, so you know I was pretty pumped to see Split Nutrition in my StrideBox! I mean, nut butter plus strawberry spread in one convenient pack?!?! SOLD.In order to avoid things like vending machines and drive-thru, I try to have healthy snacks with me for when I get a little hangry. I am always looking for new snacks to throw in my purse, gym bag, or desk drawer to keep me fueled and ready to go. This definitely sounds like a perfect mid-day, pre-gym, snack along with some crackers or toast/bagel.

STRIDEBOX ESSENTIALS - WEARABLE WEARABLE MAGNETIC LED LIGHT

With the days being shorter and the sun going down before many of us get home in the evening, a lot more runners will be out logging their miles in the dusk/dark hours of the day. Runner safety is something that I am a HUGE advocate for so any time I get my hands on gear that makes my runs safer, I am pumped. This month's StrideBox included a LED clip-on light that is perfect for shirts, watches, shorts, running belt, etc. PLEASE, please make sure you are easily visible on your run no matter what time of the day, but especially on those dark runs.

One final thing included this month's StrideBox was a recipe for "Strawberry Chia Jam" from Rebecca at www.StrongRunnerChicks.com and a Full Power Workout from from Jessica at www.JessicaOar.com. This was definitely a nice little bonus to check out and I cannot wait to try both of these out soon - that workout looks so fun and will be great to kick off 2020!